


Little Human

by Dr_Redsy



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Artist!Steve, Casual swearing, Fanfiction and canon are one in my mind, He’s mostly healthy, I kind of know where this is going now., Just tiny and asthmatic, M/M, Modern!Steve, Probably OOC I don’t know anymore, Sassmaster!Bucky, Slow Burn, Uni Student!Steve, Winter Solider!Bucky, modern!AU, pre-serum!Steve, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-23 23:08:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14342898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dr_Redsy/pseuds/Dr_Redsy
Summary: The Asset has taken many missions in his 50 years, never before has he met anyone like this little human. He is defiant even in the face of someone ready to kill, and The Asset cannot wait to learn more about him.





	1. First meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve had this idea in my head for a while, if you guys like it I’ll do more, if not who knows. 
> 
> Italics for when the Winter Solider is speaking Russian.

The Asset hated schools. More specifically he hated universities, as only once had he been to a lower level school. Potentially twice if he went before being The Asset. That didn’t matter though. Nothing mattered at the moment except the mission.

At universities his usual uniform of black on black on black and mask (instead of striking fear) seemed to entice students to strike up conversations, flirt, question. He was not allowed to kill any of the students either. That would bring too much attention to himself, and lead to possible mission failure. That was not acceptable. That was fucking annoying.

So he stormed through, climbing the seemingly endless flights of stairs, hoping that his physique said to passers by “Fuck off and get the fuck out of my way.” Rather than the “Mysterious bad boy” aura that a young lady wandering the campus in pyjamas had suggested he was exuding.

The target was on the top floor, in the last office at the end corridor. Director of the Faculty of Arts. Hydra had put a target on their back for what they deemed to be “Artistic propaganda.” The Asset had seen the files, had seen the works. The Asset believed that Hydra were a bunch of paranoid dic... The Asset believed Hydra, despite their wisdom, may have been reading a little bit too much into this situation. Though he supposed that was what art was about. Viewer interpretation. Either way, he had a job to do, and he would do it.

He drew his blade from his sheath as he reached the end of the corridor, stopping short as a small creature exited the office, head down and muttering to itself. Upon further inspection The Asset realised that it was a human male, not some sort of goblin or house elf. The human was very small. And very pretty. And looking straight at him.

“ _Move, I have to kill the man inside.”_ He stayed in his native tongue, hoping the rough noises would scare the little creature... human.

“No.” The little human said, a firmness to his voice as he straighten his back, seeming to grow several inches just with posture alone. Still very small though. The little human’s eyes blazed with a defiance at the sight of the blade in his hand, almost completely masking the confusion that lay there also.

“ _Move please little human, I won’t harm you if you step aside._ ” The Asset tried again, hoping the thinly veiled threat would shift the beautiful... the human.

“No.” The little human repeated, voice wavering only slightly. That was not fear that caused his voice to shake, The Asset finally realised. Behind his mask, The Asset smiled.

“ _You can’t understand a word I’m saying can you little human?_ ” Amusement coated his tone in a way he should not let it, when faced with an unknown entity. But he could not help it, the little human was hilarious. And cute. And beautiful. And stop it now you are on a mission.

Again, the little human stated “No.” his face showing signs that he was aware that he had amused The Asset, and was not happy about it.

“ _You’re just going to say ‘No’ to everything I say aren’t you?_ ” The Asset left a long enough pause for the little human to say his predictable response before saying, “ _Good, then; Are you going to get in my way?_ ” He only had to wait a moment, his trick worked like a charm, “ _Thank you_.” He said to the little human, walking past him.

As he came closer the little human punched him in the arm, luckily the flesh one rather than metal. He looked down at his arm, then at the human, who was holding his hand in pain “ _I will find you later and help with that, for now I must do my job._ ” He withdrew from his jacket a small needle, filled with a potent knock out serum. He stabbed it into the thin arm of the creature and pressing down the right amount for his size. He didn’t want to kill him after all. Not for now at least. He had a mission to do.


	2. Hydra Base

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Asset goes back to report. The Asset is an ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2, I wanted to do a little bit of fleshing out of how Hydra is now, and how The Asset could be as he is. Hopefully I did it justice.
> 
> Italics again for non-English dialogue.

The Asset hated Hyd... The Asset hated the current state Hydra was in. His program had been handed from subgroup to subgroup, each with poorer practices. The current head of this subgroup, who had been with him through three transfers, had developed Lima Syndrome, the lines of their relationship blurring between captor and slave to... Master and Pet? The Asset wasn’t sure, just something positive for the man.

This had made it easier for The Asset the get away with not being wiped for long periods of time. He presumed. He didn’t know how long it had been between his last wipe and the one before. This one felt long though. Six months felt very long.

As it was, he had returned to their base; a derelict basement accessed by what appeared to be a clean energy, tiny house, hipster movement. No one would ever try to investigate that. The Asset hated hipsters. Most things about hipsters. Some things. He liked their fashion but he felt they were wearing it wrong... It didn’t matter, he had come back to report on his mission.

The Lima Man was currently in front of him, arguing with the man with the presumably tiny penis... The Jealous Man, about The Asset’s current state of being. The Asset had stopped paying full attention to the conversation, having heard it every single time he came in for report. The Lima Man (Liman? No that’s stupid) believed that The Asset could be trusted, that he was fully committed to Hydra’s mission. The Asset could not be trusted. The Asset was not fully com... The Asset has occasionally... The Jealous Man was jealous of The Asset’s frankly amazing everything... The Asset really wishes the little human was here so he could make an ass/asset joke. But also the little human should never be here. Ever.

The Jealous Man believed that it had been too long since his last wipe, and was insisting, since he had finished his mission, they should do one now. Fuck.  
“ _The mission is not complete._ ” The Asset interrupted. Shit.

“ _What do you mean? You killed the art Director, did you not?_ ” Jealous Man had a very nasal voice for someone who spoke such an elegant language. The Asset has no idea how he made the beautiful sounds grate so horribly with each syllable. The Jealous Man had one talent, at least.

“ _I did kill the Director, but the man was no artist, he was only the publisher of the art. The mission is not complete until the artist is also found and taken care of._ ” The Asset was making this up on the spot.

“ _See, what did I tell you? He cares about our cause._ ” Lima Man put his hand far too close to The Asset, who wished for a moment he could snap the hand off and make a break for it. That would not work. Yet. “ _Asset, do you feel you should be reprogrammed at this stage?_ ” Lima Man asked. Fuck. There was no good way to answer that question. If he said yes, they would take him at his word and wipe him. If he said no, he would be showing preference to keeping himself as he is now and they would wipe him.

“ _Whatever command believes to be best._ ” He stated, taking the 50/50 gamble this option gave him. “ _The Asset’s purpose is only to fulfil the mission, however that is best achieved._ ” He watched as Lima Man melted at the perceived sentiment, Jealous Man looking as though he wanted to rip The Asset’s flesh arm off and slap him with it. The Asset would be happy to slap the Jealous Man.

“ _Perfect, then you will continue as you are. Asset, your new mission is to find the artist responsible for the propaganda and take care of him._ ” The Asset would have smiled at the phasing, for once not annoyed by the Lima Man’s unwillingness to say kill. He would take care of the artist. He would take very good care of the artist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, please leave a comment if you enjoyed it, I’m fleshing our the idea as I go, so if you enjoy it, please let me know! Xx


	3. Hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve’s POV when he wakes up from the drugs The Asset gave him.

Steve really didn’t like hospitals, especially waking up in them. He opened his eyes carefully, noting that it was night, and the nurses had already turned off his room light. He blinked slowly, looking down at himself; same creepy looking body as always, everything was too thin, like he was made from skewers and wire. His right hand had an IV drip, unsurprisingly since he was always dehydrated, and his left had bandages around the knuckle, unsurprisingly since he punched an assassin.

He punched an assassin.

He punched an assassin... and lived?

Pretty poor assassin then, if he didn’t kill someone who attacked him. Though Steve supposed he was in hospital, so it wasn’t like the assassin didn’t try. The assassin was an ass. He was a double ass for ass ass in. Steve giggled, pretty sure now that he had been given some sort of pain medication.

“Finally you’re awake.” A menacing voice from the corner spoke, the lights going on as they finished talking. Steve blinked rapidly, trying to make out the figure at the end of the bed. The two figures in fact as a second approached from the door, presumably the one who had turned the lights on.

“Fight me.” He muttered, as his eyes had to readjust, now making out the two people. A woman and a man, both clad in black leather, the woman looking like a biker while the man looked like a tool, having chosen a black leather trench coat that must have been custom made, because there was no way that existed in real life.

The woman stood at the end of his bed, one careful hand placed casually on the plastic footer, and to anyone who didn’t look like they were ready to drag you to the pits of hell, that move could look nonchalant. Somehow even her red ringlets looked menacing. The man sat in the chair left for guests (Which he was not) staring with his one eye - was that a leather eyepatch too? Come on, where do you find this stuff? - straight at Steve, his face giving nothing away (other than the fact that he was a little bit vain, his beard looking impressively groomed.)

“Allow me to introduce us.” The leather pirate spoke up again, “I am Nick Fury, this is Natasha Romanov. Congratulations, you’ve become part of a bigger universe, you just don’t know it yet.”

“Well I know it now that you’ve said that, don’t I?” Steve snarked, regretting his earlier challenge to the both of them, “What do you want? If you’re looking for commissions for your leather club, you can find all my information and pricing on my tumblr, captain-rogers-at-your-service.” He had no idea why he was sassing these two people, he blamed it on the drugs in his system.

“We’ve come to discuss the man you met today, and what words were exchanged between you.” Fury went on, completely ignoring Steve’s comments, “We are part of a organisation known as SHIELD, and The Winter Solider, as he is known, is someone we are focused on stopping.”

“I don’t speak the language he was speaking, I have no idea what he said to me.” Steve replied, “And I’m pretty sure near the end he knew that and was just making fun of me. I can’t help you.”

“That’s why I’m here.” Natasha put in, finally. Steve had been mildly worried she was just there to kill him if he didn’t agree, “I speak Russian, I am going to say to you select phrases we believe The Winter Solider may have said to you, and you simply say yes or no.”

“So you want me to guess what was said to me in a moment of high tension, in a different language, by a man who was not you, who may have been putting different inflections into his speech, and has a completely different accent to you, from a pool of phrases you think he might have said?” Steve repeated, to which the redhead just nodded, “Okay.” This was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your reviews are what makes me want to keep writing!! Please feel free to share your thoughts, I love hearing them! Xx
> 
> PS: the tumblr isn’t my main page but I have made it, I’m planning to make it reflect an artist tumblr!


	4. They meet again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Asset goes to visit his artist in the hospital, things do not go as he planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was comparatively very late for me, I had work then a migraine so I didn’t get a chance to work on it before now. Hope you guys like it! Xx
> 
> Italics for Russian
> 
> PS: There is a ‘Love Actually’ reference in this, if you don’t get it, feel free to message me or go watch the movie (I suggest doing both, because I love talking and the movie is beautiful.)

Steve decided that he hated Natasha Romanov. Not that he would ever say that out loud, she was still terrifying (Not that he’d ever say that out loud either). The testing had started at 2.30 in the morning and went on until 6, and that was only because Steve had started zoning out. When they had said “select phrases” clearly they had meant “we have no idea what he could have said, so we will assume it was death threats and work our way down.” She had left with the parting message that she would be back once he’d have some sleep. The idea that she knew when he was sleeping was making that task hard though, and making thoughts of Santa Claus’ creepiest song 100 times worse.

Just as he closed his eyes and started pretending like a secret organisation wasn’t watching and recording his hibernation, he felt a cool breeze hitting him from the window side of his room. His window that had been closed when he closed his eyes. His window that was on the 7th floor of the hospital. Fuck.

He opened his eyes and glanced over, seeing both something expected and totally unexpected. The expected being the assassin, he’d already been warned that he might come back. The unexpected was the fact that he was posed, metal elbow resting on the open window frame, fist seated casually behind his ear holding his head up, nonchalantly leaning with the same side leg crossed in front of the other, knee bend and black shoed toes rest lightly on the floor. He looked so relaxed and ready to... pick up? He was definitely giving Steve bedroom eyes, which was just confusing as hell.

“ _Why hello there, little artist._ ” The Asset purred from behind his mask, redoubling Steve’s belief that this guy was on the prowl, and not for murder. Well Steve isn’t prey tonight.

“What the actual fuck are you doing here?” Steve said, letting the frustration from the past four hours of torture deep into his voice. The Asset flinched in surprise and confusion, before slowly and deliberately reestablishing his pose, this time with his other hand on his hip.

“ _Why hello there, little artist._ ” He repeated, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

“Yeah, I got what you’re putting down, but I’m not picking up ass-ass-in. You killed a guy today, like 20 feet from me, that’s not how you get into someone’s pants.” Steve waved his bandaged hand as evidence.

The Asset pouted behind his mask and dropped the stance, walking over to the bed. “ _I’m sorry you got injured little human, let me make it up to you by protecting you forever._ ” He said, he went to touch Steve’s injured hand, but Steve pulled away.

“An apology isn’t going to cut it pal, I’m still mad at you. Being contrite and not killing people are two different ball parks. Now either kill me and get it over with or leave.” Steve would have stomped his foot were he not laying down.

“ _You know what I said?_ ” The Asset questioned, the tone tipping Steve off to what he was saying. The round of pounding feet could be heard faintly from down the far end of the hall.

“No I don’t know what you’re saying I just... this feels like that couple in ‘Love Actually’ where they’re just saying things at each other and they line up.” Steve sighed, rubbing his eyes, “I’m guessing from your tone, feel free to speak English or take your mask off so I can hear the inflection better.”

“Learn Russian so you can propose, Colin.” The Asset gently took Steve’s hand from his stunned face with his flesh hand, using the other to take off his mask so he could kiss Steve’s palm with a mischievous grin, before heading for the window.

“What the fuck?! Why did you wait until now to speak English?! Why are you fucking with me?!” Steve’s waves his hands in aggravated fashion, careful not to pull his IV out.

“ _Because I want to fuck you._ ” The Asset replied, same smirk still in place, before putting his mask back on and diving out the window, just as SHIELD agents came in through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your reviews are what keep me going! I love hearing from you guys so please keep sending the love and I’ll keep giving it back! Xx


	5. A more subtle approach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Asset goes home and reevaluates his tactics, while Steve just goes home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Miatheavenger for making me question why The Asset was so charming. I was going to say assassin skills and leave it at that, but I think this is better. Also we get Steve’s age and a general description of both of their homes.

The Asset arrived back to the den he had created for missions in this part of town. It was the rooftop on building half a hour’s walk from the University, with no buildings looking down on it close enough to provide sniper vantage. He had stolen all the keys and replica keys to getting up here and broken the top of the fire escape so no one (who wasn’t a super solider) could get up. He had then set about building roof between the roof of the door and the ledge with tarps and willpower, creating a cave like structure that curved around the two sides of the entrance that were closest to the ledge.

Inside were his weapons (stashed in a way that even if someone did find them or him here, no one but he could grab them), his bed (a pile of waterproof jackets he had lifted, several picnic blankets and a large teddy bear for a pillow), and a portable DVD player with a neat stack of DVD’s next to it.

He went to the DVD’s first, picking up the six romantic comedies he had squeezed in before going to see his little human. He flipped through them grumpily, before heading back outside his den and tossing each off the roof, one by one. He had decided to try a romance approach, knowing that the easiest way to protect his little human would be to be in his life. The Asset have even gone so far as to research modern romance for hours on end, but apparently murder put that off the table. The Asset wasn’t disappointed. The Asset wasn’t disappointed AT ALL.

The last one in The Asset’s hands happened to be Love Actually. He stared at the cover for a good minute or so before taking it back inside with him. No. This was the right way to go. This would work. He would make his little human love him, he just had to find the right way to go about it.

——————————————————

Steve had been released later on in the day, going back to the apartment he shared with his two best friends. It was about half an hour walk from the University, a little bit dingy but had come at a cheaper rent because there was no way to access the roof and had little to no security available. The apartment itself was fairly closed off, the bedrooms shunted off to each corner of the apartment, the only rooms that were easily accessible were the communal areas; being the kitchen, lounge room, bathroom. His room had a large window that got the sun at all times of the day, making it easier to do his art projects.

He lived here with Sam Wilson and Peter Parker. Sam he had grown up with, had seen him go to war and watched him come back a changed man. Now he was closer to his original carefree self, working to help others in his situation through the Veterans Affairs. Peter he had met during orientation week, and despite their being a five year age difference, Peter now 21 to Steve’s 26, they had bonded, and the last three years were just a testament to that. Peter had also helped Steve come to terms with his sexuality after introducing him to his boyfriend, a carefree and happy-go-lucky small time mercenary by the name of Wade Wilson (No relation to Sam, despite him pretending there was), who had no problems shouting his love for all forms of people from the rooftop, probably literally if he could have got up there.

Just as he went to enter his home, he stepped on the case of a broken DVD lying on the sidewalk. He picked it up, seeing the others were also scattered on the ground and noticing that they were all romcoms. Someone had a bad break up then. He took the one he was holding inside and left it at the front desk, heading for the elevator up to his apartment, hoping today would be less stressful than his last, but maybe with more of the assassin than the last. Wait, what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give me your love and I shall give you mine!! Chuck us a review, I love hearing your thoughts, and like in this chapter, it may help make the story better!! Xx


	6. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Asset realises some things.  
> THIS IS A SAD CHAPTER!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEWARE Sadness!!

Over the next month and a half The Asset implemented his plan to romance the little human. He escorted him from class to class on busy days. He bought him meals at lunch, and coffee in the morning. He offered him flowers. He read him sonnets. He composed his own sonnets. He tried to serenade him. Nothing worked. The little human always walked away. Rejected his gifts. Ignored him. The Asset was filled with rage. The Asset wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. The Asset wanted to kiss the little human’s stupid, paint stained fingers. He wanted... The Asset... the man wanted.

He had felt. He was feeling. It was a new, scary development that he hadn’t seen coming. Hadn’t anticipated, because he couldn’t before. But now he could feel anticipation; anticipation at seeing his little human’s tired eyes in the morning, anticipation at watching him run a hand through his blonde hair in frustration. Had felt sadness at each rejection, had felt heartache as he watched the little human walk away again and again. And again. And again. Had felt self doubt, that maybe he wasn’t doing this for a mission anymore. That he hadn’t been to begin with. Had felt fear at the idea that he was nobody without the mission, who was he, what was he? He had never questioned himself before. Always so sure of his path, gifted to him by Hydra. Why now? What had changed? What had the little human done to him? What if it wasn’t the little human that had done this, what if it was just... him?

Nevertheless he continued on. With each rejection his resolve grew stronger, even as his heart felt weak. He looked down at himself, taking in the silk robe that he had been given. It felt luxurious against his skin, luxurious and wrong. It wasn’t constricting and conforming to his body, floating in a way that would hinder fighting. His face felt as though he had removed the skin from the lower half his face, having been wearing the mask for so long that being without it part of his face, even with the five o’clock shadow he was currently sporting. He felt right side heavy, having removed his mechanical arm.

He looked over at the teacher as she approached him, giving her the smile he had practiced. It felt awkward.  
“I’m so glad you decided to do this, I know it can be very nerve-wracking, but I can guarantee you, this is such a personally rewarding thing to do.” Her smile was meant to be reassuring, as though she didn’t believe her own words, “The way those artists see you, it’s amazing for your self esteem.” She escorted him to the couch at the front of the room.  
“I suppose it was lucky for me your last model got food poisoning.” It was not luck in any sense of the word, but he thought a joke might soothe her. Another awkward smile.

He was instructed to undress just as the students began to filter in, putting the balled up dressing gown over his crotch as he sat down, cursing the fact he was capable of emotions right now. His eyes scanned the semicircle of seats around his couch, landing on his little human two seats to the right of centre. He smiled genuinely, only feeling a little doubt at the little human’s furious expression.

After a little while he was told to uncover completely and pose, head tipped back looking at the ceiling, right arm on the back of the couch, left leg flat on the couch and right bent behind it. He zoned into his skills of stealth, holding almost perfectly still for the whole hour, only stopping once to shake a fly off his face, startling a girl who had been staring holes into his cheek.

At the end of the hour he was allowed to redress, going quickly to the supply closet where he had got out of his civilian clothes in the first place. It wasn’t long before he heard the angry march of his little human, who threw the door open, coming in quickly and slamming the door behind him.

“What the actual fuck are you doing here?” He growled, jabbing his finger into The Asset’s shirtless torso, “I tolerated it when it was just between classes but this is fucking ridiculous. You can’t interrupt my study like this!”  
“I was-“ The Asset tried to get in.  
“No, you’re going to let me talk.” He huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I don’t care what you thought you were doing, or what you have been doing, I am not some sort of puzzle you can solve. I am not something that if you woo and flirt and whatever the fuck else you’ve been doing enough, I’ll somehow forget that we don’t know anything about each other - other than the fact you’re a murderer - and want to get on my knees and suck your stupidly impressive cock.” He paused for a moment, realising what he said, “It doesn’t matter, until you see me for me, see me as a HUMAN BEING, I don’t want to see you. At all.” He marched back out the door, taking The Asset’s heart with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send me your love, I need it after writing this chapter!! Xx


	7. Who is he?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve finds out who The Asset really is.
> 
> WARNING: a mild asthma attack occurs in this scene, if you don’t want to read it, that’s fine!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another sad chapter, but not as bad as the last.

Steve stood wearily in the hallway to his apartment, forehead resting on the wood and key in the slot, body sagging as the adrenaline from his earlier rant finally drained from him. He closed his eyes for a moment, watching in his minds eye the glimpse of devastation he had seen as he’d turned away from the assassin. He didn’t know why it hurt so much to see that look, knowing he had caused it. For all he knew, it was another ploy by the stupidly muscular man to... what the fuck was the assassin even trying to gain here? Nearly two months of cheesy ridiculous shit for no reason, and now today. He just didn’t understand.

With a deep, body shuddering sigh he opened his door, heading straight for the kitchen. He waved at Natasha, who had become a permanent fixture on his couch when he had the apartment to himself. He got out the ingredients to make chicken sandwiches; one for himself and one for the spy, and set to work.  
“You already know what happened today. Did Fury set up some secret microphone in my teeth while I was asleep or something?” He joked.  
“Yes I do and maybe he did, you don’t have clearance to know.” She replied easily, “You do however, have clearance to read these files I’m holding.” She waved the file in the air before dumping it on the coffee table, “They’re about your boyfriend.”  
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Steve snapped back automatically, before looking over, “Wait are those... did you find out who he is then?” Steve had been waiting on this news, the only thing SHIELD had promised to tell him, if they ever found out themselves. He tried not to show just how excited he was as he brought the food over, immediately discarding his own plate to pick up the files.

He soaked in the information quickly, before doing a double take, “born March 10th 1917?”  
“Yeah.” Natasha stated simply, having read the information already, “Though it may be give or take a year, the army files around that time can’t be trusted, What with people enlisting under false details.”  
“He was an American... he is an American. James Buchanan Barnes, prisoner of war. No one tried to find him when he was captured, no one tried to save his regiment! How many men died because no one tried to save them?”  
“Many people died during the war.” Natasha reasoned.  
“But he didn’t have to! Look at the reports! As soon as they heard they were gone they gave up, no discussion, no strategy, just letters home. Humans aren’t that expendable.” He rubbed his wet eyes, reading on through the file, “Someone should have saved him, he didn’t deserve this.”  
“Didn’t deserve to desert his country during the war to become a mindless killing machine?” Natasha questioned, not overly fond of the Winter Soldier in the best of situations, let alone when someone was defending him.  
“If he’s so mindless, why did I live past our first encounter? What in these files say he’s a traitor?”  
“Look at his actions Steve!”  
“You look at his actions! He enlisted to fight in a war where he had no guarantees of coming back, is left for dead by the army he put his life on the line for. He at some point loses his freaking arm.” He was getting angry on the assassin’s... no, he was getting angry on James’ behalf, “If he deserted why did it take 20 years for the Winter Solider to appear hmm? If he was so ready to kill why did he only knock me out? What murderous regime is he completing by flirting with a gangly little weirdo like me? If he was dedicated to the other side, why isn’t he on his next mission?”  
“Maybe this is a mission Steve.” Natasha suggested, not bothering to correct Steve’s self deprecating comment.  
“What kind of fucked up mission is this then? Make some fragile little freak fall in-“ He sucked in a sharp breath, cobwebs stuck inside his throat, making it hard to breathe. He should have been more careful, shouldn’t have got so worked up, “Inhaler!” He flailed a hand toward the bathroom, knowing his emergency inhaler and spacer were under the sink. Natasha rushed off, quickly grabbing the equipment and bringing it back, pulling Steve into a seated position so his lungs could clear better. It took a moment for the panic to subside enough that he was able to take several shaky breaths through the spacer, feeling his body relax as his lungs started to function normally again.

After a few minutes of silence and Steve getting his breathing pattern back to normal, Natasha stood, “I think I’m going to go now.” She said, clearly looking as though she was trying not to look flustered. Steve closed his eyes instead of watching her leave. She could handle a gun to her head, but not comforting someone after an asthma attack. Cool.

A few minutes after she left, he heard the front door open again. Knowing it couldn’t be his roommates, he looked up, a comment about spies forgetting nothing getting caught like his breath had in his throat. Before him, instead of the redheaded SHIELD agent, stood James Buchanan Barnes. “I need your help.” The soldier rumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are my favourite thing ever!! Give me your love and I shall give mine to you!! Xx


	8. Help is but a word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Asset finds out who he is, and Steve commits to helping him find himself again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics for Russian
> 
> The POV is a little weird in this chapter so I apologise for that.
> 
> I didn’t proofread as much as I should have, sorry for that as well!

“Did you just break in to my house?” Steve asked, voice so gentle compared to the last time he talked to the soldier that it made the assassin... made James flinch.  
“The door was unlocked, technically just trespassing.” James shook his head, as though trying to banish his admittance to a crime from the air.  
“How did you find out where I lived anyway? Did you follow me home?” Steve was too tired from his asthma attack to put any real anger into his words.  
“Only accidentally. I live upstairs.” James replied, pointing at the roof.  
“What upstairs, this is the top fl... are you the reason no one can get on the fucking roof?” If he didn’t know any better, he’d say that James looked guilty, making him seem like a puppy who had been caught chewing on a shoe as he slowly slunk closer. Steve watched as he came to a stop in front of the coffee table, taking a seat on the floor in front of it, grabbing Natasha’s plate in hand as he sat, and started to eat the half she hadn’t hadn’t touched, “That’s not yours.” Steve pointed out, but didn’t try to stop him, so James just shrugged. Steve sighed again, starting what felt like the real conversation, “What do you need my help with?” Steve asked, almost scared of the answer. There was a long pause as James chewed, swallowed then took another bite, and if it had been anyone else, Steve would have thought the effort to stall was cute.  
“I do not want to be Asset anymore.” James stated simply, “But I need someone else that I can... practice with? The Hydra, they have commands for me that I physically cannot ignore... I was hoping that I could work on resisting it with someone I trust.”  
“You trust me?” Steve was bewildered.  
“Of course I do,” The Asset brushed it off, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “I would teach you the phrases, and you would have to say them to me, both planned and when I am not expecting, so I can resist, so I can become...” he paused, unsure what he would actually become.  
“Become James again.” Steve suggested.  
“Who?” Confusion coloured his tone.  
“Become you, become James.” Steve realised that he was holding James’ file to his chest. He dropped it on the table, and The Asset cautiously picked it up. He spent a moment reading, before taking in a shuddering gasp, “I do not remember any of this. I do not remember being James, I cannot be James.” Tears welled up in his as he kept reading, learning about who he was, his family, his presumed death. He speed read each section, flipping through the pages, before going back to the start and reading the bits he couldn’t before because of his blurring eyes. Steve left him to read the file through a couple times before speaking up again.  
“Well maybe not James, but something like James? I could call you Buchanan.” Steve reached out carefully before realising what he was doing, grabbing his food instead so he wouldn’t do that again.  
“I cannot be James, but Buchanan is too old, too much like him... Barnes would sound like you hate me... I do not want to be Sergeant, I have been a solider too long...” James... the assassin took a shaky breath, trying to take on this sudden influx of information.  
“Jim, Jimmy, Jamie, Bucha, Buch, Buck, Bucky, Canon, Barnesy, Barney, B, JB?” Steve rattled off some alternatives as he thought of them, hoping he was helping.  
“Bucky, I like Bucky.” Bucky took a few deep breaths in, rubbing his face clean of tears, “I did not know coming here would... I did not know I was a person... I am... I... Will you help me?”  
Steve took a moment to think about it, taking time to consider the outcomes that could occur from this. Finally he nodded, “Yes, I’ll help you, but I have some conditions.” He put down his plate and focused solely on Bucky’s aesthetically pleasing visage, “One; You need to come down off the roof, you can stay on the couch in my room, but I want to be able to go up there. Two; you’re going to talk to my friend Sam about everything, he’s probably in a better place that anyone to help you with becoming... a civilian again. We are going to let him in on all of this. Three; you cannot wear your combat gear around me all the time, you need to look like a normal human being if we decide to exit the house.” Bucky had been nodding along up until now, looking at his metal arm questioningly, which Steve ignored, “And finally four; no more trying to flirt with me. Whatever you’ve been doing up until now needs to stop. You’ve been trying to get my attention, but now you’ve got it, everything else needs to stop. This is strictly platonic.”  
Bucky felt like his heart, already hurting from his little human’s earlier anger, vanished into a pit of despair. He looked down at his file again, trying make it seem like he was upset about its contents rather than what Steve had just said, “You should probably also know, my name is Steve. Steven Grant Rogers, if you want my full name.”  
“No, your name is little human, and that is what I am calling you.” Bucky growled, refusing to let Steve take everything from him. “I agree to your terms,” He interjected before Steve could object to the name, “though I do not know how good I will be at keeping them.” He didn’t know how good he’d be at keeping one of them.  
“That’s good enough for me. Shall we begin?” Steve smiled, hoping to pull the gloomy expression from Bucky’s face, seeming to only worsen it.

They spent an hour and a half going over the four main phrases Hydra had for Bucky; “ _Asset Come_ ”, “ _Asset Stay_ ”, “ _Asset Go_ ” and “ _Asset Report_ ”, making sure Steve could pronounce each on correctly every time he said it. They were just about to go to the roof for the first test run when three bodies fell through the front door.

  
Peter was wrapped around Wade’s back so tightly it looked as though they may fuse together, Sam had an arm around them both, having been left with the duty of opening the door.  
“Stevie baby, your lovers have come home!” Wade called out, then spotting Steve and Bucky, “Or your roommates, who will happily watch you with your lover in the communal areas.” He amended.  
“I will not be happy watching Steve do any sort of sexual activity with anyone anywhere, thank you very much.” Sam said, coming over to introduce himself to Bucky before the other two could turn that comment inappropriate too, “Sam Wilson, Steve’s roommate, that crazy loud thing is my brother Wade Wilson-“  
“I can’t have fantasies about you if you keep telling people we’re related!”  
“Fantastic! My brother Wade Wilson, he’s a freeloader, but he takes good care of our other roommate, the limpet on his back Peter Parker.”  
“You hear that Petey? I take good care of you!” Wade raised his eyebrows suggestively.  
“Yeah you do, that’s why we had to sound proof my room! Let’s go there now and stop weirding out the normals.” Peter suggested.  
“Sounds like a plan! Steve’s friend, I will need to give you the big brother talk later! For now I’m off to have me some Petey pie!” They galloped out of the room, leaving two amused and one very confused person behind.  
“Are they always like that?” Bucky asked cautiously.  
“Oh yeah, you get used to it though.” Sam smiled, “I have some paperwork I have to get on to, but it was great meeting you...”  
“Bucky Barnes.” Bucky held out his metal hand, which Sam took without a moments hesitation.  
“Bucky is going to be couch surfing for a little while, he doesn’t have a place and nowhere is offering single units this time of year.” Steve explained, to which Sam nodded understandingly, “We were actually off to get his stuff so, we will see you later. _Asset Come_.” Bucky turned swiftly, before realising what just happened, turning backward so he was walking to Steve facing Sam, “Goodbye Sam, I will stay out of your way as much as possible while I am here.”  
“All good, you kids have fun now!” Sam teased, looking slightly confused at Steve before heading off to his own room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give me your love, it feeds me, if I don’t eat I starve, and if I starve you guys can’t get the next chapter!! Review so that I may eat!! Xx


	9. A brief interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why the roommates are so relaxed about Bucky’s sudden appearance in their flat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to apologise, I had a bit of emotional turmoil that zapped me of my motivation to write. To make up for it I will give you two chapters then disappear again for a while as I am going on holiday the day after tomorrow :/
> 
> You can contact me or send me a message at my tumblr:  
> dr-redsy   
> Or my less likely to be nsfw tumblr  
> captain-rogers-at-your-service
> 
> Anyway, onto the chapter!!

**TWO YEARS AGO**

A loud thump and tumbling woke Steve from his sleep, the noises continuing with a muted voice along side it. Fuck. He didn’t want to be robbed tonight, he had an in class quiz tomorrow and he didn’t have time to be tired for it. He climbed out of bed anyway, grabbing his baseball bat from beside his bedroom door, ready to lay into the thief, though more ready verbally than physically. He’d do what he could.

To his surprise Peter was already in the lounge room, under the well muscled arm of a man who Steve’s sleep addled mind presumed must be the robber. Peter was supporting the man, trying to hoist him towards his room as the man clutched his bleeding side. “Did you fucking stab a guy Peter?” Steve exclaimed, moving closer.

“No I didn’t stab him, do you see a knife here? This is my... this is Wade.” Steve nodded at Peter’s explanation, for a moment just staring at the pair as Wade reached out his bloody hand, going to introduce himself. “Go wake Sam, I need someone to actually help.” Peter said instead, after realising Steve wasn’t doing anything.

By the time he got back with a grumpy Sam, the pair had made it to the hallway of Peter’s room, Wade currently bleeding on the wall as Peter tried to figure out their path. Sam took in the situation before walking over and hoisting Wade into his arms, taking him into Peter’s room with an instruction the get him the first aid kit then get out.

It took an hour of tidying the lounge for Sam to appear, wet from the shower he had had to wash Wade’s blood off him. “It was only skin deep, so I’ve stitched it up and bandaged it, he’ll be fine with time.” He took a seat on the couch, pulling a still slightly befuddled Steve down next to him. Peter took that as his cue, standing in front of the two men and pacing.

“I know that I’ve been fairly vague about Wade... Wade is a mercenary. He mostly does small time stuff, threatening stalkers, scaring off abusive partners, retrieving stolen goods... one person he threatened decided that he didn’t want to stop stalking his... target? So he stalked Wade and jumped him on the doorstep of his flat. He’s not safe at home anymore. I need to keep him safe here.”  
“You want him to live here now?” Sam asked.  
“Yes.”  
“For how long?”  
“Indefinitely.”  
“Will he be paying rent?”  
“I can’t guarantee that to start off with.”  
“Will he be buying his own food?”  
“I will feed him, he won’t steal your food. Probably. I’ll replace anything he eats.”  
There was a large pause as both men tried to think of the next thing to say. Peter was the first to come up with something.  
“I know that there’s not much I can give you right now, but I am begging you, He is so important to me and I need him to be okay. He doesn’t know yet just how much I... How much I love him, but seeing him like this tonight nearly killed me. I am offering a pact; one monumental favour for each of us, no questions asked for the first month, then a housemate meeting to discuss it further. One month is all I’m asking.”  
“How will we know if Steve or I are ever using it?” Sam was considering it, already happy to let Wade stay the night.  
“If it’s something like this I think we will know, but we can call it the Wade favour if we need to check.” Peter smiled cautiously, looking at Steve.  
“Will we be safe?” Steve asked after a yawn, not seeming at all phased by the seriousness of his own question.  
“I can’t-“ Peter started, but was interrupted.  
Wade stood shirtless in the doorway, looking pale and heavily bandaged, “I will keep you safe. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s being a guard dog.” He shuffled towards Peter, the 27 year old cupping Peter’s face as soon as he was close enough to do so, “I love you too Petey Pie.”  
“You heard that?” Peter asked, hope filling his eyes, to which Wade nodded, leaning in and kissing Peter softly.  
“I’m in.” Sam said loudly, trying to get them to stop before it went too far. Peter pulled away to smile at Sam, then looking at Steve.  
“Yeah I’m in, what’s life without a little danger, right?” Steve replied with a grin, “But I guarantee you now, I’m not bringing any strange men home without fair warning beforehand.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love hearing from you, feedback may change where the story goes, may get you an extra chapter of fleshing out plot points, who knows! Xx


	10. Natasha ruins everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get better then they get worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics for Russian

The first month flew by with an ease Steve wasn’t expecting to feel when there was an assassin bunking in his room. After a quick confirmation that first day that this was what the men thought it to be - a Wade favour - and some ribbing about his definition of “strange men” they had let the subject drop completely, acting as though Bucky was any other person. Though after Bucky’s first freak out, everyone knew not to try to surprise or sneak up on him, and after his second freak out, that Steve was the only one allowed to touch. Steve did not feel smug about that fact. Steve didn’t feel smug that he was the only one who got to see Bucky, the real Bucky, the Bucky that existed only when his shield fell away. The slightly vain, charming, witty, caring, beautiful man that Bucky had been before, coming slowly back to life with each gentle moment he experienced, with each hour of silence he spent watching Steve as he worked, or minute he spent casually styled his shoulder length hair as he waited for Steve to get ready in the morning, or in the evenings when he snuggled up in his nest of blankets with his teddy bear. Steve was not jealous of that bear at all.

Finally however, the other shoe had to drop. That day came as Steve and Bucky came in through the door after a class (Bucky had committed to the life modelling, and was secretly enjoying the freedom of it). They found Sam, Peter, Wade, and Natasha seated on the couch, the first three looking confused and remorseful, the last looking venomous.  
“Natasha, what are you doing here?” Steve said, in way of greeting, wondering why she had revealed herself to his roommates after being secretive, and then completely gone for so long.  
“I heard through the grape vine that these fine gentlemen were planning to have a housemate meeting about your newly acquired weapon, I felt the need to be here for it.” She said, glaring death and doom at Bucky.  
“He’s not a weapon, and you aren’t a housemate.” Steve replied acidly, feeling a hatred he had never felt burn at the words Natasha had spoken.  
“Oh really? Then why have you been getting him to do your bidding, hm? Asset come, Asset go, Asset bring me some cookies.” Her voice hissed out the words, “you’ve been using him, and it’s disgusting, you-”  
“Hey!” Bucky menaced, stepping in front of Steve, body tensed into a position akin to a tiger getting ready to pounced, “Never speak to the little human that way. He would never, and has never used me, and to suggest something like that shows you know nothing of him. You do know however, what I am capable of, _Widow_ ,” he spat the word at her like a curse, “ _and I will gleefully unleash that hell on you if you so much as breathe at him wrong ever again._ ”  
“Let’s talk about what you do shall we _Asset_?” She cursed back, still in her reclining position on the couch, “ _You lie, you manipulate, you murder. That’s what you do, and this little game you’re playing needs to end. Whatever mission you’re on, consider it a failure and leave. Now._ ” she stood finally, taking her own offensive position, as she watched Bucky almost vibrate with rage. He growled as she moved, causing her face changed into something vindictive, as though she had been waiting for him to prove that he was just as much of a mindless tool as she though him to be. Her next words were spoken calmly but they resonated within Bucky too powerfully to match the tone, echoing inside his head, making it impossible to ignore, “ _Asset, return to base and prepare for reprogramming._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give me all the review please!! Give me love, suggestions, critiques, I love it all!! Xx


	11. The mess beyond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What occurs after Natasha’s words.
> 
> Italics is Russian as always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !WARNING!  
>  THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGERY! If you are uncomfortable with death as a concept and scenes involving dead bodies, please do not read this chapter. It is a crucial chapter in the plot, but you will be able to gleen from context what happened in this chapter in the following one if you choose to skip.

A look of terror crossed Bucky’s face as he sped from the room, wholly unprepared for this rarely used phrase. Two things happened as the door slammed behind him; Wade made to follow Bucky out of the apartment and Steve launched himself at the redhead with a screech of rage. Steve was caught midair by Sam to stop him from full on assaulting the woman, though he did manage to reach past his captor to scratch across the spy’s face, leaving four angry red lines, three of them bleeding.  
“You heinous bitch!” He shouted, swinging his arms violently at her, “Why did you have to come in and ruin everything! He was getting better! If anything bad happens to him I will make your worst fucking nightmares look like a poets daydreams you heartless cow-“ Sam put his hand over Steve’s mouth, cutting off the tirade. He waited for Steve to stop swinging, keeping his hand still as he was bit by the tiny tornado, before releasing him, though kept a defensive position as Steve seemed to vibrate with murderous energy. After what felt like an hour of stalemate, Steve spoke again, “What did you do?” He said, voice like ice.  
“I sent him back to his masters, once they’re done he won’t remember you, and he will be safe to take out.”  
“You’ve been waiting since the beginning to get a chance to do that, haven’t you? Fury knew I was trying to save him and was giving us space, but you can’t feel so you didn’t want any others like you to feel, either. You act as though you are in the right, because you know him best, well guess what, you may know the Winter Solider but you don’t know Bucky. You don’t know the man he is, the caring, gentle, intelligent, funny, beautiful man that he is.” Steve nearly started screaming again as he said the next words, “And now you never will, because all you wanted to do was destroy! You disgust me Natasha, and I can’t wait for karma to come and bite you in the arse.” He marched toward his room, unsurprised by the lack of remorse on Natasha’s face, though a little shocked by the offended look she held. Good, he was glad she was offended. He was feeling too many things to describe, she could deal with offended. He returned not long after with his baseball bat, heading for the front door. “Woah, where are you going?” Sam said, stopping him by the door.  
“To find Bucky, and kill Hydra.” Steve stated simply.  
“No need,” interjected Peter, “Wade has gone after him, you don’t want to get an asthma attack from running all over the city trying to find him. Just wait with us.”  
Steve didn’t want to wait, but he knew Peter was right, “Fine, but the traitor needs to leave.”

 

By the time Bucky got to the facility he had regained most of his mind. Enough to notice that the dingy headquarters were looking even more derelict than three months ago when he had been here last, as though it had been abandoned the moment he had left. As he opened the airtight seal on the base door he was hit with a powerful stench, making him gag violently, throwing up the porridge he had had that morning. He recognised the smell for what it was, though had never been exposed to such a concentrated dose of it before. He usually vacated the location of bodies he left behind before they became this disgustingly into the stages of decomposition. He walked slowly into the compound, seeing dried crusty red-brown smears on the floor, presumably from where workers had been dragged further in. In the main section he found the bodies, stacked neatly off to the side like crates, and their killer, the Jealous Man, seated in the head chair of the control centre.

“ _Hello Asset._ ” He greeted with a sardonic smile, voice seeming to have got more nasal from where someone had punched in his nose, face still coated in the evidence of that injury, “ _What wonderful timing you have, I was just about to send for you.”_  
“What is required of the Asset?”  
“ _I needed to inform you of a change in leadership, and with it a change I direction. Professor Einfältig_ ,” he gestured to one of the piles of bodies, “ _Has seceded his position to me, and as such I am now head of your program._ ” Bucky felt a cold wave of apprehension flood through him, not truly afraid of the man before him, but knowing that if he said the wrong thing he was as good as dead.  
“ _The search for the artist is done, I have no interest in this mission._ ” He waved his hand dismissively and Bucky tried not to show how much that hurt him, hoping desperately that this moment wasn’t the end of him. His hopes were realised as the Jealous Man continued, “ _However since we are in the city anyway, there is a warehouse for you to investigate, go there now with your body camera on and hearing piece in, I will be watching closely._ ” He gestured for Bucky to get ready, turning toward his screens. Bucky could kill him now, but with his new return to humanity came an unwillingness to murder in cold blood. Either way, what would be the harm in playing along for a little while longer. This mission would give him enough time to plan his escape. He left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I apologise it took so long to update and that it got so dark, but I promise that in 2 chapters it should be better... I love you readers, I hope you still love me! Comments are encouraged!

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave me a comment with your thoughts, this was just a rough idea, but if you want more please let me know! Xx


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